Air-valve.



W. A. RUSSELL,

AIR VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. IBM.

Patented June 11,1918.

of New windows and doors,

WILLIAM A. RUSSELL, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

messes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

AIR-VALVE.

Patented .nme ii, ieie.

Application filed April 15, 1914. Serial Itl'o. 831,913.

To all whom iii may concern:

Be it lmown that I, WILLIAM A. Rosanna,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, county of Westchester, and State York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Valves, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in air valves for radiators.

1r valves are used in radiators to pro v1de a communication between the radiator and the outer air, and it is the function of these valves to permit escape of air in the radlator to the atmosphere, the valves closing after the air has been, expelled to avoid the discharge from the radiator of steam through! the valve. To effect this, these valves must close as soon as the air has been expelled, and the valves are therefore constructed to operate with great quiclmess and are consequently very delicate and, as

heretofore constructed, easily elfectedl by sudden changes in thermal conditions in the room, -such as occur on the opening of these sudden changes seriously afiecting the operation of the valve.

It is one object of the present'invention to provide a valve of !this character in which the operating parts of v the valve, while retaining their delicacy of operation, are insulated from such sudden thermal changes and will probably function under all ordinary conditions of use.

It is a further object of the invention to produce an air valve in which the operative parts, of the valve are thus insulated and in which a direct circulating passage for air or steam is provided, so that waterlogging of the valve through entrance therein of water of condensation is avoided, and

the proper functioning of the valve obtamed.

It is a further obJect of the mvent1on to produce an air valve of improved 'construction in which the before-mentioned objects may be effected, the parts being so assembled and arranged as to permit their removal without removing the valve casing itself from the radiator.

It is a further object of theinvention to roduce an improved construction for caus-,

mg the air vent closing valve to properly seat and cut olf escape of steam or water from the casin With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features and parts, of which a full description will be given in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a valve embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side view looking in the direction of arrow A, Fig. 1, the valve 1n both these figures being shown as detached from the radiator with which it is to be used; and Fig. 3 is a detail View, on an enlarged scale, showing the preferred means of attachment of the drip pipe, and showing the connection tothe radiator.

Referring now to these drawings, the improved valve comprises an outer hollow casing or shell l'provided with suitable means as a threaded stem 2, by which it is secured to the radiator R, and through which it is in communicationtherewith. The outer casing or shell 1 is generally cylindrical in shape, and at its upper end is bent or turned inwardly, as shown at 3, to leave a small central opening. The lower end of the shell 'or casing 1 is threaded and is closed by a threaded plug which is formedwith an in weirdly-projecting portion 5 forminga seat. Within the casing 1, but spaced therefrom so as to form an outer air chamber or passage,

manner so as to efl'ect such separation and I insulation. In the particular construction illustrated, the casing or shell 6 is somewhat enlarged at its lowerend, which, as indicated at 7, is secured to the inner walls of the. casing 1 by soldering or in any other suitable manner, the air chamber 8 formed between the casing 6 and the casing 1 insulati'ng' thecasing 6 from the casing 1, andalso providing a passage for air and steam. The casing 6 is generally. cylindrical and open at .the bottom so as to be in communication with a compartment or well 9 which receives the water of condensation, and the casing extends upwardly nearly to the outer shell and at its top it has its walls turned or bent inwardly, as shown at 10, so as to leave a small opening which receives and is closed by a part hereinafter referred to. Ports 11 of suitable area are provided in the top of the casing 6 for entrance of air and steam thereto from the air chamber 8. Closing the openings in the tops of the casings 1 and 6 is a hollow plug 12 having an air escape passage and which has a seat for a valve and is arranged to have screwed or otherwise secured therein a closing nipple or cap 13, provided with an air escape passage 13.

In the best constructions, a direct circulation for the air or steam is provided from the radiator through the valve and back to the radiator, so as to prevent waterlogging. \Vhile this may be accomplished in various ways, the outer air chamber 8 between casings 1 and 6 is utilized for affording this direct circulation and there is provided a separate passage from the radiator to the outer chamber of the valve and from the inner chamber of the valve back to the radiator, provision being made, as by small openings 3 near the bottom of the inner casing, for escape of any condensation water that might collect in the air chamber between the two casings. While the construction for effecting this may be varied, as illustrated there is provided a partition 14: rigidly secured in the threaded stem 2 before referred to, which divides the stem into an upper passage 15 and a lower passage 16. This partition 14: is as shown so positioned that it is at or above the junction of the lower end of the casing 6 and the casing 1 so that the air enters through the upper passage 15, passes through the outer chamber or passage 8, and through the ports 11 at the top of the inner casing and then to the outer air through the hollow plug 12. After the air is expelled the plug 12 is closed by a suitable valve and the steam circulates through the air chamber 8 and ports 11 and valve chamber in casing 6, and returns to the radiator through chamber 16, through which also the water of condensation is returned to the radiator. By thus providing two chambers separated from each other and locating the valve in the inner or valve chamber, the valve is effectively insulated against sudden changes in room temperature liable to affect its proper functioning. Furthermore, the provision of these two separated chambers. and separate passages for each chamber permits a direct circulation of air and steam through the valve and the air and steam entering the valve chamber from the top effectually prevents watcrlogging of the valve,

The means for closing the air escape plug after the air has been expelled from the ra diator will include a valve, the particular type of which may vary. In the preferred construction, however,- there is provided a valve construction indicated generally by the numeral 17, which comprises a receptacle 18 partially filled with a highly volatile liquid, such as wood alcohol, this receptacle carrying a hollow cylindrical extension 19, the receptacle and extension being sealed in suitable manner. The cylindrical extension 19 carries a valve nipple 20, which seats in a valve seat 21 in the lower end of the plug 12, the lower end of this plug extending into the valve chamber of easing 6 to form the seat. After the air is driven out and the heating medium enters the casing, the liquid volatilizes and causes the valve to rise and shut off communication with the outer air. The valve when in position to permit air to escape finds a convenient seat on the seat 5 of the closing plug 1 before referred to. In the best constructions, the casing 6 has its walls turned or bent in as shown at 31 to form a guide for the cylindrical extension 19 of the valve. While a valve of the type shown and described is preferable, it will be understood that other types may be employed as desired.

In air valves constructed in accordance with the invention, means are provided for preventing the return of air to the radiator after it has been expelled therefrom, andwhich would occur unless prevented, after the heating medium is turned off and the radiator cools, thus forming a (partial vacuum therein. While these means may be varied, in the preferred construction there is provided a gravity operated check valve which shall also act to center the valve 17 and insure its properly seating in its seat.

While the particular construction for efl'ecting this may be varied, the valve nipple 20 is provided with a central opening 22 into which takes the stem 23 of a check valve 24, the check valve seating on an interiorly shouldered portion 25 of the plug 12 before referred to. With this construction, the valve nipple 20 is always held in proper alinement with the valve seat 21 inthe plug 12, and a very simple, and at the same time efiicient, construction, is provided for preventing the return of air through the valve.

For insuring the removal of the water of condensation from the well there may be provided suitable means, which in the particular construction shown comprise a bent drip pipe 26 which is secured in the connection to the radiator. In the construction illustrated, the partition 14 before referred to is provided with a downwardly-extending leg or projection 30, suitably apertured as shown at 32, and the drip pipe is passed through this aperture before the parts are assembled, and is held in position by a flange 27 on the end of the pipe. The aperture is proportioned so that the pipe has a free turning movement in the partition and is thus always maintained in proper position. This pipe acts to siphon off the water from the well 9 and insures its return to the radiator.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form, it will be understood that changes and variations may be made in the construction shown, and that the invention is' therefore not to be restricted to the precise details illustrated and described.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In an air valve for radiators, the com: bination with an outer casing and means for attaching it to a radiator, an inner casing, a valve working in the inner casing, a valve nipple carried by the valve vand. provided with a recess, a plug forming a seat for the valve, and a.check-valve seated in the plug and having a stem entering the recess of-the valve nipple for alining the latter in its seat.

2. In an air valve for radiators, the combination with a casing and means for securing it to a radiator, of a plug having an air escape passage, a valve for closing the passage, a valve nipple carried by the valve having a recess, and a check valve in the. air escape passage and having a stem entering the recess of the valve nipple for alining it in its seat.

3. In an air valve for radiators, the combination with a casing having means for securing it to a radiator, a valve seat carried by the casing and providing an air-passage therefrom, a valve seating in the valve seat to close the passage, and an independent check valve operating to center the valve in its seat.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' WILLIAM A. RUSSELL. Witnesses:

K. L. DONAHUE, JOHN E. (laser. 

